How To Stop Yourself From Burning Out When You’re Doing Too Much

If your life resembles anything like mine did a few short months ago, it’s a straight up cluster fuck. You don’t have a single day off in-between study, work and internships. You’ve had at least three mental break downs in the past two months, you’ve been VERY time poor, and you’ll constantly be hearing “I haven’t seen you in ages!!” You’re well and truly burning out.

I thought I had it all figured out, trying to balance full time study with full-time work, a part time internship, a social life, and a strict gym agenda. I really didn’t. It meant I didn’t have a single day off, and sometimes I had three places to be at one time. I well and truly burnt myself out, very quickly.

So, from someone who’s been there and done that, here’s some tips on how to stop yourself from burning out when you’ve taken on too much.

#1 Prioritise

Do you really need to be working 40 hour weeks? Can you skimp on ordering clothes so you can have a single day off? Do you need to be spending more time at Uni? It’s a good idea to write out all your commitments and list them in order of importance. This way, you’ll be able to decide where to allocate majority of your precious time.

#2 Keep Track Of Everything With A Diary/Calendar

I don’t know if it’s just me, but keeping a diary when you’ve got numerous commitments will work wonders. You’ll be able to keep track of appointments, assignments, exams, etc. It doesn’t have to be a hard copy, it can be as easy as using your phone. But in my experience, this helped big time in keeping on top of everything.

#3 Set Time Aside For Yourself

It’s important to have some down time to chill the f*ck out. It can be so easy to constantly be around people. Set time aside to relax, whether that be yoga, meditating, reading, whatever your cup of tea is to wind down and de-stress. Make sure you set aside some time in your busy schedule to do this.

#4 Don’t Be Afraid To Cut Things Out

If you’re considering pulling a Post Malone, and tattoo-ing “always tired” under each eye, you should probably consider cutting down on your commitments. Once you’ve prioritised all of said commitments, don’t be afraid to cut some out, or spend less time on those further down the list. Do you really need to go to the gym six times a week? Or attend every social event you’re invited to?

#5 Be Efficient With Your Time

If you’re commuting on the train, use the two hours to study for uni rather than binge watching the latest season of The Office. If you’re at the gym, get off your god damn phone and do your reps. You could have enough time in your day, you might just not be using it smart enough.

So there you have it, from someone who well and truly burnt themselves out taking on too much. Take these tips to live your best life while still reaching your life goals.